Wife Wants a .380 to carry while RUNNING, recommendations?

[Mark Ducati]

I'm looking at:

Kel-Tec P3AT $220 - 6.6 oz, 7 + 1


KHAR ARMS Micro 380 $500 - 9.97 oz, 6 + 1


Desert Micro Eagle - $378, 14 oz, 6 + 1


Ruger LCP 380 - $290, 9.40 ox, 6 + 1


I don't want to consider the Beretta 380 TomCat, we had one of those and it was a jam-o-matic... I'm not concerned with 6 + 1 vs. 7 + 1 either... I want something that will go bang EVERY time she pulls the trigger.

IF, I were choosing a 380 pocket gun for ME, I'd be going with the Desert Micro Eagle, that thing just has BADASS written all over it, but its also the heaviest. I'm leaning towards the Kel-Tec P3AT, not because its cheap... but because its the lightest weight one. My wife only wants a 380 for when she runs by herself early in the morning, downtown Blue Ridge. Our town is small, rural... but we've had a couple muggings and beatings down town... I've actually held one of the P3AT's (friend's gun), and its a nice compact package, but he hasn't fired it enough to give a reliability recommendation.

So, any of you have a micro 380 pocket gun?

[Viking350]

My son had a Taurus 380 and had problems with FTE. We both now have the Kel-tec PF9 as our carry guns. His works fine. Mine had FTE issues. Kel-tec sent me a new ejector and spring. It was super easy to install, but I haven't had a chance to shoot it since the fix. I haven't personally shot the Ruger, but I hold their guns in high regard.

Oh and btw, have you/her considered the PF9? It isn't much bigger than the P3AT and the 9mm is a much better self defense cartridge. CDNN had the PF9 for about the same price as what you show for the P3AT.

[American Rage]

It's my understanding that the Ruger LCP has been rocking the handgun world for months now.

The trigger takes some getting used to, but after that people seem to love them.

I'd go for the hard chrome model b/c bodies tend to sweat while running.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrE371hU8m4

Do a search on Youtube and you will find lots of videos on the LCP 380.

Rage

[Charliebravo]

I carry a Diamondback .380. They're also making it in 9mm now with very little additional size.

[Schuetzenman]

Well I don't have one but if I was to get a flea powered .380 I'd choose the Keltec P3AT. It is very compact and if it's like the P32 it will go bang every time you pull the trigger. Just make sure you shoot less than 700 rounds through it during it's lifetime.

[FunkyPertwee]

Well I don't have one but if I was to get a flea powered .380 I'd choose the Keltec P3AT. It is very compact and if it's like the P32 it will go bang every time you pull the trigger. Just make sure you shoot less than 700 rounds through it during it's lifetime.

I wonder if the Ruger can take more shooting.

[Schuetzenman]

I wonder if the Ruger can take more shooting.

If the reinforcement block of metal isn't zinc then it probably will. The Keltec P32 anyway has a zinc a.k.a. pot metal insert that the slide / barrel retainer pin passes through. My buddy shot 680 to 700 rounds thorugh his P32 and it started not firing. I was at the range and was watching him shoot it on pepper poppers. We took it down and found the hole in metal block was ovaled, very ovaled from the steel pin being driven into it from recoil. Despite this less than 1000 rounds failure of the weapon I have to say it did impress me. It was so small and light, yet I could hit what I amied it at easily. Until it failed it fired reliably, no jams or failures to extract. For a hide out CCW last ditch type weapon most folks won't put 200 rounds thorugh it in a lifetime of ownership. When you think of it that way, it seems reasonable. This is not a combat grade weapon, it's meant to be pulled out and blast somebody that is probably up close and personal, (less than 6 feet away). For that kind of distance you aren't using sights anyway, just point and squeeze.

[nfa1934]

I got my fiance' a used Walther that she took a liking to when I was buying my Ruger 22/45. I caught her glancing at something in the used display and told her that if she liked something, I was buying. She said no, but I could tell something caught her eye. When I looked in the used display, it was obvious which one she liked. It was a stainless Walther PPK/S with tulipwood grips (really nice looking gun, the orange-ish tulipwood looks nice on stainless). Got it for $450 with five mags and the original plastic grips included.

I think she still likes her 2" Chiappa Rhino better though.

[insider]

Don't let her run alone.
I'd go with a stainless PPK, or the Kahr, don't trust your life to a plastic gun.

[mushroom]

I have a 3AT An LCP and a PF-9. I like the 3AT better than the LCP..it just feels better to me. I also love the PF-9. 3AT is easier to carry but of course the 9 is a better round. I'm just glad they are cheap enough to have both! HAHAHA! Good Luck... Oh.. have you considered the LCR in 38? I think they are Great and reliability should be without question!! If she doesn't like recoil the Smith 317 has 8 rounds of 22lr in a 10oz revolver that is SWEET!!!!

[az_paul]

I have a Ruger LCP. Like American Rage said, it's a great little gun, but the trigger pull takes a little getting used to. All-in-all, it's a fine little weapon.

[deputyvaughn]

I have the compact Kahr in .45. If the .380 is half the pistol the .45 is, it will be fabulous.

Scott

[Partisan1983]

I've handled and fired the Kel-Tec........stay away from it!


I don't know anything about 'em but have you looked at the SIG P290 ? (it is in 9mm).



If you are dead set on a .380 have you looked at a SIG P232 ?


The first pistol I bought when I turned 21 was a P232SL (all stainless w/nite sites) and I still own it to this day. It is accurate as all hell and has never EVER failed to go bang, even inter-mixing the shittiest ammo in the mag.

With all that being said though.....has your wife ever fired a blowback pistol before ? Out of all the females that shot mine (about 12 or so) only 2 enjoyed it and about 3 didn't even make it through a single mag......FWIW

[Mark Ducati]

Thanks for the replies fellas....

She'll be wearing one of those cardboard thin pocket type holsters that she can simply wear beneath her spandex waste.

As for running alone, sure that's the obvious problem... but someone has to watch the kids. She's training for the Chattanooga and Savannah Marathons. Unfortunately, my marathon days are over. I'm sure you guys don't remember, but I joined GN in 1997, I did an Ironman Triathlon in 1998... like I said, my days are over. I got burned out on them.

[Schuetzenman]

Thanks for the replies fellas....

She'll be wearing one of those cardboard thin pocket type holsters that she can simply wear beneath her spandex waste.

As for running alone, sure that's the obvious problem... but someone has to watch the kids. She's training for the Chattanooga and Savannah Marathons. Unfortunately, my marathon days are over. I'm sure you guys don't remember, but I joined GN in 1997, I did an Ironman Triathlon in 1998... like I said, my days are over. I got burned out on them.

Remind your wife of why it's called a Marathon, named after the battle of Marathon in 490 BC. A runner ran the approximate 25 miles from Athens Greece to the costal plain of Marathon where a conglomerat amry of various Greek City State armies were allied to repell a Persian invasion. They won and the runner from Athens ran back another 25 miles. The Athenian King was so happy he sent the man back to tell the troops Congrats. Uppon arriving back at Marathon for the 2nd time the messanger delivered his message of congratulations and ..............died. The moral to the story is, that shit is hard on people, from the skeletal structure to the interanl organs. Women that run all the time often lose thier periods. There can be blood in the urine of a distance runner caused by the pounding of running all that way. Damn hard the knees, but I guess there's always knee replacements now.

[TEN-32]

Mark-
I'd strongly suggest getting her hands on one before buying. I know people with those Kel Tecs and Rugers. The trigger pull is ridiculous. It affects accuracy in a very bad way. I know these are for 7 feet and in, but still very bad triggers.

I'd consider a Ruger LCR or a S&W j frame in one of the lightweight alloy frames.

[Viking350]

Mark-
I'd strongly suggest getting her hands on one before buying. I know people with those Kel Tecs and Rugers. The trigger pull is ridiculous. It affects accuracy in a very bad way. I know these are for 7 feet and in, but still very bad triggers.

I'd consider a Ruger LCR or a S&W j frame in one of the lightweight alloy frames.

Ten makes a real good point. Unless your wife shoots an automatic often and is comfortable with clearing malfunctions, she would probably be better off with a snubby. Remember, if she ever has to use it, it will be an extremely stressful event. With the snubby, she just has to pull the trigger and it ALWAYS goes boom.

[Krupski]

Wife Wants a .380 to carry while RUNNING, recommendations?

Why a .380? Wouldn't a 9mm be much better? More punch, more "common" ammo...

[videodon]

Kel-tec P3AT or better yet, the PF-9.
I own both.

[az_paul]

Partisan mentioned the P232. That's a good option. I've had a P230 for probably 14 years. It IS very accurate for a small .380 and the trigger is very comfortable. If you clean and lube it reasonably frequently, it should be problem free.